Too Late

A/N: I thought it would be interesting to write my own version of how Thea found out Roy was dead. We never got to see her initial reaction to the news.

"We deeply apologize to the Queen family for the misunderstanding in which Oliver Queen was...wrongly accused of being the Arrow. We discovered, not long after we arrested Mr. Queen, that the actual Arrow was Roy Harper, a close friend of the Queens," Quentin Lance announced as he stood at podium, cameras and blinding lights surrounding him.

Oliver could tell that Captain Lance didn't mean a word that came out of his mouth.

Oliver stood silently behind Lance, Thea on his left and Felicity on his right. Diggle and Lyla were watching in the crowd. He didn't want to be at this press conference. It was just another reminder that he let his sister's boyfriend take the fall for his actions.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Felicity intertwined their hands.

"It's not your fault," she whispered. "It was his choice."

The only reply she got was a tight smile.

They both turned their attention back to Captain Lance.

"Now I am happy to introduce Thea Queen," he exclaimed.

Thea moved from next to him, up to the podium. Lance made his descent down the stairs, but not before giving Oliver a cold glare.

"I speak on behalf of my whole family as I say that we will not be pressing charges because of this misunderstanding. But we will be fighting for the release of my boyfriend, Roy Harper, who has been put in prison for a crime he didn't commit," his sister announced, putting on a brave face even though the dilemma was tearing her apart. She already lost her mother. She wasn't going to lose anybody else.

As she continued speaking, Oliver looked over at Captain Lance to see him talking to a police officer. Lance looked angry and upset at the news the officer was telling him.

After a few minutes, the police officer walked away and Captain Lance suddenly summoned Diggle and Lyla at the side of the crowd. The three made their way upstage.

"I promise you that we will find justice for—." Thea was interrupted by Captain Lance.

"We just got some news from the prison," he exclaimed.

As he said those words, Oliver and Felicity looked at each other before moving to stand near Thea and Lance.

"What happened?" Oliver asked, not liking the look on Lance's face.

"I'm sorry," Lance apologized, afraid to tell the tragic news.

"Sorry for what?" Oliver was getting very impatient. Felicity placed a comforting hand on his arm. Lance took a deep breath.

"We just got word from the prison that Roy...Roy was found dead in one of the hallways. He was stabbed."

Tears immediately began to spring from Thea's eyes.

"No...No!" Thea collapsed. Oliver just barely caught her, her head immediately burrowing into his chest.

Felicity gasped, tears blurring her vision. She stood there, still. Her head was down. After a minute, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to be met with the remorseful gaze of Captain Lance.

"I'm so sorry, Sweetheart," Lance said. His heart hurt for the girl he thought of as a third daughter. He knew how close her and Roy were. Hearing those words, Felicity launched herself into his arms, her small whimpers morphing into full on sobs. Quentin just held her, not caring about the tears soaking his blazer.

Diggle and Lyla watched on silently, knowing something that the others didn't.

As Thea's sobs got louder, Oliver just held her tighter. Oliver had tears in his eyes as well, but he didn't dare let them leak out.

I killed Roy, Oliver thought.

Oliver thought of Roy being stabbed in a prison that he wouldn't have been in if it wasn't for him. Roy payed for his mistakes and it was too late to fix it.

Hope you guys liked it! ; )